The Gospel of Matthew:
a commentary & meditation
"Lord, I am not worthy, but only
say the word and my servant will be healed"

Scripture: Matthew 8:5-17

5 As he entered Caper'naum, a centurion came forward to him,
beseeching him 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home,
in terrible distress." 7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal
him." 8 But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have
you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to
one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my
slave, `Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled,
and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel
have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east
and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom
of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer
darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." 13 And to the centurion
Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant
was healed at that very moment. 14 And when Jesus entered Peter's
house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever; 15 he touched
her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him. 16 That
evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he
cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. 17
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our
infirmities and bore our diseases."

Meditation: In Jesus’ time the Jews hated the Romans because they
represented everything they stood against -- including foreign domination
and pagan beliefs and practices. Why did Jesus not only warmly receive
a Roman centurion but praise him as a model of faith and confidence in
God? In the Roman world the position of centurion was very important.
He was an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. In a certain sense,
he was the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army together.
Polybius, an ancient write, describes what a centurion should be: "They
must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command,
steady in action, and reliable; they ought not to be over-anxious to rush
into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their
ground, and die at their posts." The centurion who approached Jesus
was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the
ridicule of his cronies by seeking help from an itinerant preacher from
Galilee, and well as mockery from the Jews. Nonetheless, he approached
Jesus with confidence and humility. He was an extraordinary man because
he loved his slave. In the Roman world slaves were treated like animals
rather than people. The centurion was also an extraordinary man of faith.
He wanted Jesus to heal his beloved slave. Jesus commends him for
his faith and immediately grants him his request. Are you willing
to suffer ridicule in the practice of your faith? And when you need
help, do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith?

“Heavenly Father, you sent us your Son that we might be freed
from the tyranny of sin and death. Increase my faith in the power
of your saving word and give me freedom to love and serve others with generosity
and mercy as you have loved me.”